Community Support

An ongoing, daily commitment to good causes and good works is something that affects every boy at Merchant Taylors’. The boys understand that privilege entails responsibility and take it for granted that they have an obligation to give something back to the community: to serve, to look after and improve the lot of those less fortunate than themselves and to demonstrate compassion in all human relations.

Our thriving Community Support programme emphasizes that we each have a responsibility to make a difference. The challenges of service are important in preparing pupils to play a positive part in life beyond school, and in encouraging older pupils to provide the protection, support and encouragement to others that they received when they arrived at Merchant Taylors’.

A committed group of boys and staff maintain strong links with the local community, and particularly with old people and the young with disabilities. Some help children at local junior schools to learn reading, to develop musical programmes, or to play sport. Others spend time in the holidays helping with inner-city schemes for young people or with residential holidays for the disadvantaged.

Phab

Phab Week is a great school institution. For forty years, more than 20 Sixth formers - working with girls from St Helen’s - have run a week’s holiday camp at the School for twenty disabled teenagers. The whole School stages various events during the year to raise the £10,000 needed to run the camp using the purpose-built residential centre at the School and all of the grounds. Hosts are paired with Guests and through all the various fun activities they share during the week they are able to discover what they have in common. Powerful friendships develop throughout the week and continue well beyond it. The hosts and Guests alike all develop considerable skills of organisation, empathy, communication and much more and the Guests' parents and carers have a week of respite.

Charity

The Charity Drive is all about having fun, whilst raising money for worthwhile causes. It is organised entirely by the boys, with teachers providing guidance and facilitating initiatives. One school week each year is given up to fund-raising: additionally, there is our annual MENCAP Funday and many more events, depending on the passions and skills of the boys in any one year. Boys choose the charities to support, the events that will take place, and publicize and run the fund-raising projects, rallying support from the whole School.

Community Service

There is a committed group of boys and staff who keep up strong links with the local community, and particularly with old people and the young with disabilities. Some help children at local junior schools to learn computing, to develop musical programmes, or to play sport. Others spend time in the holidays helping with inner-city schemes for young people or with residential holidays for the disadvantaged.